Long Overdue Thoughts
by bdavis23
Summary: Jim's thoughts after asking Pam out in the S3 finale.


**A/N:** _This is my first fanfic ever, so if you take the time to read this, you truly amaze me :)  
It's all just thoughts. If your big into action, or dialouge for that matter...   
Your not going to get it here.  
I do not own The Office.  
_

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Jim checked his watch.4:45 lit up on his cheap, I'm-only-a-paper salesman-salary-digital watch and he couldn't help but flash that smile the camera knew oh, so well. Any other day, he would have just got up and left, considering Michael nor any other co-worker, other than maybe Dwight, would notice his absense. He would normally stroll out of the office, unwillingly drive to Karen's,  
_ And that was that._  
But not today.Today was different.  
Today, no matter how much his body willed him to leave, the teenage girl in him (yes, there is one) forced him to stay and savor every last moment he had at work. Something he never thought would enter his mind. As much as he would like to say he completely hated his job, he no longer could. Despite the long hours of boredom, ridiculous boss, pestering conferences, and, erm, well...Dwight, there was one thing he couldn't deny.It brought him to her.And for that very detail itself, he will forever be grateful for his boring, ridiculous, pestering job.

In the course of the past 2 days, he had driven from New York and back, intererviewed for a job, and done something he had been waiting to do nearly the moment Michael hired the formerly, new receptionist. He was expectedly pretty tired, but it didn't show.He was way too excited to show anything, but pure, utter, and most importantly, no longer unrequited- happiness. Anyone else would have probably scheduled the date for the next day, or week even. If you consider the fact he's already waited 3 years, whats one more night? But it wasn't just **anyone **going on a date with Pam Beesley, it was Jim. And for him, waiting one more day would be like having a million dollars put in front of his face, being told to take it, and **still** turning it down. After all she had put him through. The way she  
seemingly, purposelly ripped out his heart, and stomped it into the cold ground they stood on that Casino Night. But of course he didn't care about any of that. He still compared her to a million dollars, but that was ridiculous to Jim.  
Because he knew she was worth _so_ much more.

That teenage girl was just screaming from his insides.She was making his heart flutter. She was pushing his hand to draw hearts around their initials...  
And she was most annoyingly, making him have the sudden urge to sing "_Jim and Pam sitting in a tree, K-I-S..._"  
But then Jim knew it wasn't a teenage girl making him do all those things.  
It was Pam.  
It was always, simply, _perfectly_ Pam.  
And they were going on a date.  
**Tonight.**  
_Date, date, date_...  
The word alone swallowed him into some amazing, dream universe where "Fancy New Beesley" and "Big Tuna-Fat Halpert" were married with kids, in that house both of them dreamed of. The imagine he played in his head so many times he somedays wondered if it had happened in a past life.  
Jim would wake up in the morning to find her on their terrace, quietly making her white bed of roses come alive on paper. He would say good morning with a kiss on her forehead, and they would send their kids off to school, with a lunch full of mixed berry yogurt, jello, and a ham and cheese sandwhich. Jim would go over ever prank in the book with them, and Pam wouldn't be able to bring herself to tell them no.  
It was _amazing_.  
But it was also a _dream_.  
Which constantly, he had to remind himself.

Distant screams from Kelly to Ryan in the cubicles brought Jim back to reality.  
Where, in all his joyous bliss of finally getting what he always wanted, he hadn't considered the details.  
_Where would they go?  
Would they talk about Karen?  
Or Roy?  
Casino Night?  
The wedding?  
Would she want to keep it a secret?  
Or tell everyone?  
Would he kiss her?  
Would she __**want** him to kiss her?_  
You can't blame a guy to worry after what happened last time.  
The nerves rushed over him frighteningly quick.  
He went back to high school when he was taking a quiz he hadn't prepared for. And had no idea what he was getting himself into.  
The last time he had been on a first date was with Karen, and that was only to get his mind off of _Pam._  
It was now 4:55, and in 5 minutes he would have to somehow figure all of the questions out in his head.  
Or at least attempt, so that his dream date wouldn't be the awkward train wreck he had been living with since he came back to Scranton. The thoughts were swarming in his head, like they were bees and his head was covered with honey.  
And Jim **hated** bees.  
Luckily, with one head turn to reception, the infestation disappeared off his mish-mosh pit of a head, and simply left a gooey love-sick mess.  
Because that reception desk took away all his worries and no matter how cheesy, cured him.  
Because it was Pam.  
And because even if those were the hardest questions of his life, being with Pam was like having the teacher whisper you the answers.  
And when he was ever really stuck, she would always stay after to help him.  
She wasn't giving up on him this time. There was no "misinterperating" their friendship.  
From that point on, all was understood.  
All was intereperated.  
And all their was, was love.

Overcome with his newfound positivity, and overwhelmed by his constantly changing emotions, Jim wasn't all-together when people starting heading out of the office. He looked around to see that during his day dream, Stanley, Phyllis, Oscar, Ryan, Kelly, Toby, Meredith, Michael, and Kevin had all left. The only remaining were Dwight, Angela, and of course, Pam and himself.Angela looked over at Dwight from accounting, and gave him what was supposed to be a "unnoticed" nod.  
But of course Jim and Pam were both watching intently just in case anything notable happened between the cosy twosome.  
Slowly, Angela rose out of her seat and walked out of the office. Exactly two minutes later, Dwight followed. They would have loved to think no one was onto them, but they should have known better. Both the receptionist and fellow paper salesman were well aware of the not-so-secret love affair. As the door closed, Jim and Pam both couldn't help but giggle.Jim gazed at Pam and realized he could get used to this. Dates at night, making fun of Dwight during work hours...  
While both rose and headed out of the place that made it all possible, taking Pam's hand he charmingly whispered,  
"You think they had to go what we did? You know...to get to that?"  
"Dwight and Angela? Are you kidding? They're epic. I say it took them 6 years. I bet those years were full of angst, switching branches, broken engagements..."  
"...So you think their relationship is based on bobbleheads, authority, and kittens, too?  
"Definately."  
They both took a step onto the elevator. They're first steps together as single co-workers.  
Single friends.  
_Or maybe just what someone might consider a couple. _  
From Jim's smirk to Pam's smile, the elevator doors closed._  
_And that was that.

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**A/N:** _Please review. Good or bad, even though I'm certainly prepared for the bad. Thank you for reading! I'll get better, I promise :)  
_


End file.
